For seven days, we experienced the fever of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, we vibrated with the athletes from all over the world, 122 delegations were present in Paris for the judo tournament. We suffered with those who did not succeed despite all their efforts, we rejoiced with all the medallists. A sports competition is always a mix of pain and joy but such is the beauty of sport.
The individual judo tournament was a great success, we can say it and affirm it without false modesty. The public's enthusiasm is just one illustration of this. Every day, the Arena Champ-de-Mars was full. The success of the French judoka obviously contributed to creating a special atmosphere, but we cannot attribute everything to the French performances because even on the days when there were no French medals, the atmosphere was magnificent.
The Paris 2024 Games close an Olympic cycle that was shortened by one year and we are now entering a four-year cycle that will undoubtedly be very exciting too, but this is another story.
It is therefore time to pay tribute to our champions but also to all the medallists and all the participants who illustrated the values of judo and the Olympic spirit. On the first day, Yeldos Smetov (KAZ) launched a great campaign for Kazakhstan by winning his third Olympic medal, the most beautiful one. Natsumi Tsunoda (JPN) opened the doors to good results for Japan.
On the second day, we expected another double from the Abe brother and sister duo. Only Hifumi Abe won gold though and in an extraordinary way. After the premature elimination of Uta Abe, it was Diyora Keldiyorova (UZB) who wrote a page in the history of international sport and Uzbek sport by winning the first gold medal in judo for her country and being the first woman to win a medal for Uzbekistan in any sport.
Hidayat Heydarov (AZE) in -73kg won gold after having won everything in 2024, including the European and world titles. He paved the way for Zelym Kotsoiev (AZE) at -100kg, who also won the world title this season and now the Olympic crown. Christa Deguchi (CAN) broke the curse. After her non-selection in Tokyo three years ago and her frantic race for Olympic qualification this year, she finally climbed to the top of the podium.
Takanori Nagase (JPN) at -81kg was uncompromising with all his opponents in a category that is always very competitive and kept his Olympic title won in Tokyo. Andreja Leski (SLO) won at -63kg in a category where everyone was expecting the new coronation of Clarisse Agbegnenou (FRA) who finished in third place. For Leski and for Slovenia, history repeats itself since in four editions of the Olympic Games, the -63kg title has gone to a Slovenian athlete three times (2012: Urska Zolnir, 2016: Tina Trstenjak, 2024: Andreja Leski).
In the -90kg category, Lasha Bekauri (GEO) once again produced a huge effort, to win his second consecutive Olympic title, a performance that few judoka are capable of producing. At -70kg, Barbara Matic (CRO) is now the most successful judoka in the history of Croatia. She won everything and in Paris, she was unbeatable.
Alice Bellandi (ITA) put a smile on the faces of the entire Italian delegation by winning gold. As world number one and seeded number one, she had extra pressure on her shoulders and she handled this situation perfectly in a weight category where the number of contenders for the supreme title was impressive.
It remained to be discovered on the last day of individual competition, who would be the winners in the heavyweight categories. The hope of an entire people, that of the host country, rested on the shoulders of Teddy Riner and Romane Dicko. Teddy wrote a new page in the history books by winning his third Olympic title and 5th Olympic medal. Dicko couldn't reach the top of the podium and the title went to Brazil and Beatriz Souza.
In each round of the competition, there were stories to tell, legends to write. There was spectacle and emotion, there was popular fervour. There were the Olympic Games and we are happy to have experienced them at the heart of the action.
But it is not all over yet. Saturday 3rd August will be the day of the mixed teams and other legends are still to be written.